Be one of us Tonight
by affectiion
Summary: Returning to Hogwarts after the Final Battle will either end in unity or division. What happens when the Eighth Year students share a Common Room and common dorms? Will the students behave like the young adults they are, or the children they didn't get to be?


_All canon character, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. I am not profiting from this writing._

 **Chapter 1**

Harry, Ron and Hermione gathered on Platform 9 3/4 . It was strange to be back here, free and clear, like they were eleven again. No Voldemort, no fear, no inkling of danger. Just a whole year of school, where, Hermione supposed, her biggest worry would be her qualifications at the end. A year to study - but not too much this time! - and spend time with her friends. It was a strange, liberated feeling, terrifying in its own way.

Shaking off the melancholy nerves, Hermione stood taller. She pulled her mass of hair into a messy ponytail and straightened her faux-leather jacket and scarf. She threw a smile at Harry and Ron and led them to the train.

It was quieter on the Platform than usual. This was a special train, for only the returning eight years. It wasn't all they had started with in the First Year, of course, but there was apparently a large contingent returning to finish their schooling. About twenty students were also milling about on the platform with the three friends, outside a much smaller Hogwarts Express.

The train's loud horn rang out, and the students boarded the Express in small groups, waving to the families they were leaving, presumably for the last time of their schooling career.

Harry, Ron and Hermione ducked into the first empty compartment they found, settling in for the train trip. They talked about what had happened in the last fortnight, as they had been separated to sort out their own affairs. Harry had returned to Grimmauld Place, and begun the extensive task of renovating the space, making it habitable. He had enjoyed the privacy and peace for a little while. Ron had returned to the Burrow and revelled in the chaos of his family. Luckily the worst that had happened was the loss of Fred's leg after he was struck by a falling wall, but of course, magic was a quick solution to that, and it was as though nothing had ever happened.

Hermione had had the most unsatisfying break away from the boys - she had been unable to locate a spell that would reverse the memory charm she had placed on her parents, so she had had to leave them to their new life in Australia.

They had missed each other, of course, but it was good for them to have the opportunity to do so, rather than have to live in each others pockets.

The noise on the train was a quiet buzz of nervous excitement. As they travelled, Hermione had poked her head into all the other compartments to say hello, even to the Slytherin group, who had met her gaze with calm indifference, offering the faintest of greetings. However, as she closed the door, she heard them resume their quiet chatter, with the sound of muted laughter following her as she moved along the corridor. The students had all remained in their day to day wear, which ranged from simple Muggle clothes to full Wizarding Robes, depending on the person.

Upon arrival the students all moved to the Great Hall which had been restored to its former glory. There was only one table and Headmistress McGonagall and a number of staff members were waiting for them. Hagrid and Professor Trelawney were among them.  
"Welcome, welcome, welcome," she pronounced in her stern tone, "welcome to your eighth year at Hogwarts. There have been some changes to how your year will run given the situation, but I think it would be much nicer to discuss over a meal, so sit down, sit down and enjoy."

As they ate, the Headmistress outlined the way their year would run, independent of the other year levels. There would be no house affiliation for these returning students who she dubbed the 'eighth years,' who would now share a dormitory and common room in one of the newly rebuilt towers. They would all attend the classes offered together, and would be given special privileges as they were of age- namely, they could leave the grounds when they liked as long as they signed in and out, and they would be treated as the adults they were. "You have all seen and done a great many things that children should not have to," Headmistress McGonagall stated plainly, "so it is ridiculous to expect you to come back to school and treat you as though you hadn't. However, I do expect you to lead our school with exemplary behaviour. Every student here has been allowed to return for a reason. There is no allegiance to Voldemort or the Death Eaters here. Every student has been exonerated from wrongdoing by the Wizengamot, and I expect you to treat each other with respect, even if you can't get along." She gazed around the table. "Is that understood?"

The students all nodded, glancing among each other awkwardly.

"Excellent," McGonagall beamed at the students, oddly similar to the way Dumbledore had done, and they all returned to their meals and the usual chatter that a large table full of people produces.

The large group walked up to their new dorm in a cluster (although the former Slytherins, unsure of their welcome, had followed a few steps behind). They spoke the password and entered the Common Room, which had been tastefully decorated in a neutral palette, possibly to make up for the lack of house affiliation they were undertake. There were a number of full bookshelves which pleased Hermione, and some desks to, presumably, study at if they did not want to attend the library. There was a large, currently roaring, fireplace, and many comfortable armchairs and couches for the students to lounge on. In all, it was a lovely room. The girls dorms were up a tall staircase to the right, the boys were to the left. It seemed like they would need to bunk in groups of four which had already been decided based on the fact that all trunks and belongings had already been delivered.

Harry and Ron had found themselves rooming with Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott, who they did not know very well, and Hermione had found herself in a room with Parvati Patil, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode. The other students had found themselves in similar situations, rooming with students they would not normally interact with. Hermione quelled complaining in the Common Room by agreeing with the Headmistress - "It won't hurt, will it? Why else did we fight in a war? So we could keep running with these ridiculous prejudices? I don't think so!" She huffed and plonked herself down in a cushy armchair with a huge text book.

The other students followed suit- they sat around the room in chairs or at desks, or perused the books on the shelves.

Harry, who had sat nearby Hermione, frowned to himself. "You're right," he stated plainly.

"Yes," Hermione agreed absentmindedly twirling a piece of hair in her fingers as she read. "Of course, but about what?"

"We should all get along. There's no reason not to. We've all had a crap run of it, haven't we?" He ran his hands through the chaos that was his hair. "And we are the school leaders now. And people will be looking to our lead, again, right?"

"Mhmm, I suppose so." Hermione looked up from her book, "where is this going Harry?"

Harry didn't answer, but stood and adjusted his glasses before striding over to Malfoy. "Malfoy,"

Draco looked up warily from where he sat at a desk, writing a letter. "Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you." Harry held out his hand.

Understanding replaced the wariness on Draco's face. He stood slowly, as the rest of the Common Room watched, hardly breathing. This simple moment would determine how the year would continue- as one of unity or one of division.

He smiled, possibly the most genuine smile Hermione had ever seen him make, and took the proffered hand. "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

And with that gesture, everyone relaxed. The former houses began to intermingle, discussing the year ahead.


End file.
